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Adjustments for Competition 129
Rear Suspension Adjustments
Because of the great absorption quality of the
shock bumper rubber, it may be difficult for
you to notice when your CRF’s suspension is
bottoming. Some riders may think the damping
or perhaps the leverage ratio is too harsh. In
reality, the problem is most likely insufficient
spring pre-load or a spring that is too soft. Either
situation prevents utilizing the full travel.
Keep in mind that a properly adjusted suspension
system may bottom slightly every few minutes at
full speed. Adjusting the suspension to avoid this
occasional bottoming may cost more in overall
suspension performance than it is worth.
A spring that is too stiff for your weight will not
allow the rear tire to hook up under acceleration
and will pass more bumps on to you.
6. Calculate the free sag dimension.
To do this, subtract the loaded without
rider dimension (step 5) from the unloaded
dimension (step 2).
Free sag indicates the distance your rear
suspension should sag from the weight of the
sprung portion of your CRF.
With the spring pre-load set to obtain the
proper race sag, the rear suspension should
sag 0.4 to 1.0 in (10 to 25 mm).
If the rear of your CRF sags less than 0.4 in
(10 mm) from its own weight, the spring is
too stiff for your weight. It is not compressed
enough, even though you have the proper
race sag adjustment. As a result, the rear
suspension will not extend as far as it should.
Spring Rates
If you are lighter or heavier than the average rider
and cannot set the proper ride height without
altering the correct spring pre-load, consider an
aftermarket shock absorber spring.
A spring that is too soft for your weight forces
you to add excessive spring pre-load to get the
right race sag and, as a result, the rear end of
the motorcycle is raised. This can cause the rear
wheel to unload too much in the air and top out
as travel rebounds. The rear end may top out
from light braking, or kick sideways over lips and
square-edged terrain. It may even top-out when
you dismount your CRF.
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